Cell signaling, beyond cytosolic calcium in eukaryotes.
Calcium functions as a secondary messenger within the cytosols of eukaryotes. This serves as a reference point to evaluate three related questions:Exploration of these three interrelated questions indicates the importance of more sensitive techniques and of a refined concept of information transfer and transduction. 1. Calcium, as well as cyclic AMP, also functions as a paracrine messenger; how specific and extensive is this use? 2. Calcium binding proteins and calcium extrusion mechanisms have been identified in prokaryotes; does it function as a messenger? 3. The concentrations of other divalent cations, especially zinc and magnesium, are well regulated and perturbations have specific physiological impacts; are these divalents involved in information transfer? Exploration of these three interrelated questions indicates the importance of more sensitive techniques and of a refined concept of information transfer and transduction.
Permyakov
Eugene A
EA
Institute for Biological Instrumentation of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia. permyakov@ibp.psn.ru
Kretsinger
Robert H
RH
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002147:Calmodulin; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium